Fall Clothing for the Southeast

This past year I wore REI Mistral pants and an Ibex Outback Jersey (long-sleeve base layer merino wool). That was plenty for when I was moving. In camp I added a MontBell Thermawrap jacket. I also wore a fleece beenie and liner-weight gloves. Up until it got below 50s I just wore my usual shorts along with the wool shirt to walk in. I don't expect this winter to be any different.

Do you use a tent? It can get cold enough in spots to where you won't be very warm in the Caribou.

I should mention I run warm. The clothing above worked fine for me down to the low teens.

For late fall, winter, and early spring in North Carolina, I've found the perfect combination while moving to be a silkweight long sleeve top (Polartec Power Dry), a lightweight fleece pullover (Polartec Micro Grid), a lightweight fleece cap, and an ultralight wind shirt/jacket (Patagonia Houdini). These pieces have proven to be very versatile in temperatures from the 20's to the 50's — I can easily add or subtract layers as necessary. For rest stops, around camp, and sleeping, I add an insulated jacket or parka (Golite Coal in fall/spring or Patagonia DAS Parka in deep winter).

I have a Tarptent Rainbow and a Cloudburst (for when I take the gf)…. Do you find the mistrals to breathe well? Are those the only pants you carry with you?

Yeah, I found them fine and hike at a pretty good pace. I carried some GoLite DriMove pants on a couple of trips but never used them.

I don't think you'll be warm enough with the Caribou in a tarptent during the dead of winter here (unless you wear lots of insulated clothing to bed). It won't add warmth like a double-wall tent and the temps will get way below 35.

It depends on where you are planning to go in the southeast. Florida would be very different than the Smokies for example.

For Clothes

Temps ~60* highs while hiking ~40* lows at night

In the Daytime:
Short Sleeve Mountain Hardwear Wicked Tee
REI Sierra Convertible Pants

Nightime:
Patagonia Capaline 1 Long Sleeve Shirt
REI Sierra Convertible Pants
Mont-Bell Thermawrap

Temps ~50* highs while hiking ~30* lows at night

Daytime:
Smartwool Lightweight 1/4 Zip Long Sleeve Shirt
REI Sierra Convertible Pants

Nightime:
Patagonia Capaline 1 Long Sleeve Shirt
Patagonia Capaline 1 Pants
REI Sierra Convertible Pants
Mont-Bell Thermawrap

Temps ~40* highs while hiking ~20* lows at night

Daytime:
Smartwool Lightweight Long Sleeve Crew
REI Sierra Convertible Pants
O R lightweight beanie (if needed)
100wt fleece gloves (if needed)
Marmot Ion widshirt (if needed)

Nighttime:
Patagonia Capaline 1 Long Sleeve Shirt
Patagonia Capaline 1 Pants
REI Sierra Convertible Pants
Patagonia Micro Puff Pullover
O R 300wt fleece mittens
Mountain Hardwear Windproof Fleece Hat
Sierra Designs Down Booties

Temps ~30* highs while hiking single digit lows at night

Daytime:
Ibex Norgie Mid weight Long Sleeve Crew
REI Sierra Convertible Pants
O R lightweight beanie (if needed)
100wt fleece gloves (if needed)
Marmot Ion windshirt (if needed)

Nighttime:
Patagonia Capaline 1 Long Sleeve Shirt
Patagonia R1 Pants
REI Sierra Convertible Pants
Patagonia R1 Flash Pullover
Patagonia Micro Puff Pullover
O R 300wt fleece mittens
Mountain Hardwear Windproof Fleece Hat
Campmor Fleece Neck Gaiter
Sierra Designs Down Booties

Note: I also carry rain gear (Golite Phantom Jacket and Marmot Precip Pants) and add them in camp if extra warmth is needed.

I also have 3 sleeping bags

Western Mountaineering Summerlite 32*

Western Mountaineering Ultralite 20*

Mountain Hardwear Phantom 0*

and three sleeping pads

Thermarest Z-lite

Thermarest Prolite 3

Exped Downmat 7

Depending on where you are going your Caraboiu might not be enough. I was at Mt. Rogers (Southwest VA) in the middle of August and it was 38* , and Mt. LeConte in the smokies has already had several nights in the 30's. I have seen snow as early as October and as late as May in the higher elevations.

Brad appears to be opposite me so you have a good range of what might work.

Yeah, I am cold natured and sleep cold. If it gets below zero, I just assume stay in the house.

Stephen,
Beating the cold is all about layering. Add a layer to warm up. Remove a layer to cool off. Thinner layers keep it more flexible.
I've picked up some polartec, capilene and merino wool top/bottom base layers, Polarguard and Climashield top/bottom insulating layers. Patagonia currently has Micropuff pants for $60 online. The one thing that everyone seems to discount is a hat. Wearing a hat will help to keep you warm. Beanies always seem to fall off my head when sleeping, so I picked up a thick fleece balaclava last year that works great. I eventually got a second in a thinner version for hiking. The old addage of "if your feet get cold, put on a hat" holds true. Winter's coming. I'm ready for it this year.

I hike mostly in S. MD or N. VA.

In the fall I wear shorts, a poly T, a 200 wt vest, and a windshirt while hiking. In the early morning or evening when it's colder, I swap the vest for a 100 wt zip turtleneck and zip legs onto the shorts. In camp, I wear both the turtleneck & vest.

For winter I wear pants, a poly T, a 100 wt zip turtleneck , a 200 wt vest, and a windshirt while hiking. In the early morning or evening when it's colder, I swap the vest for a 200 wt jacket and add knee length 100 wt shorts under the pants, and add 100 wt fleece gloves. In camp, I wear both the 200 wt jacket, vest, the 100 wt shorts, and sometimes add 100 wt longjohns and 200 wt mittens if it's cold enough for a balaclava instead of a watchcap.

Thanks for everyone's comments!!!

I'm thinking I could do something simple like

EcoSpeedT -> Light Fleece -> Down Vest -> Wind Jacket (Ether or Houdini)

For those real cold times which I don't think I'd really want to go out in add micropuff pants or long sleeve down jacket…

Simple stuff that wouldn't require a full $500+ in new clothing but would be effective… Thoughts?

Do I really need a merino base like everyone is saying? I have silk longjohns from STP, would this fabric operate tha tmuch differently from capilene?

Hi Stephen

> Do I really need a merino base like everyone is saying?
There are those who would argue that a conventional synthetic thermal base layer would be far better. That includes me.

Cheers

Hi John,

I am doing an AT section hike from Rockfish Gap to Harpers Ferry October 4 through October 11. What can I expect for low nighttime temperatures in the Doahs?

Thanks.

Mark

October is usually pretty variable temperature-wise. It's been running warm pretty much all fall though, so I'd use 45-55 degrees as a best guess "low" for 1-2 weeks from now. Currently it's 76 degrees (9pm), so bringing a 30 degree bag may be sweltering even if used as a quilt. On the other hand, 2 times out of 5 years a cold spell rolls in for a 3-5 days around mid-October and brings 30 degree lows.

Usually, I cook 2 years in a row with a fall bag, than bring a summer quilt the next year and freeze. The only thing that you can count on is that no matter whether the temp is 60, 40, or 20 it will still have 80%+ humidity…

Here's a link to the local weather finder I use to plan trips. http://www.findlocalweather.com/forecast/wv/harpers+ferry.html The forecast is for 40 degree lows next weekend. So my 55 degree guess may be optimistic, or it may be the weather guys are wrong again.

ps: If anyone knows of a website where you can see about 5 years of historical data showing weekly or monthly average temperatures, rainfall, and humidity for US cities – please let me know !

http://www.almanac.com/weatherhistory/ might work but it looks to be one day at a time.

John & Chris,

Thanks for the info. I was trying to decide if I could get by with my 30 degree bag – WM summerlite. It sounds like it will be more than adequate. I will be using a GG Mt. Washington pad and single wall shelter – GG The One. This is what I would be using in the Smokys this time of year.

Thanks.

Try wunderground.com
Type in the location and on the left hand bar, scroll down and there is a weaather history graph and a place to put in an exact date.